Pope expresses 'great sorrow' over Gaza killings

Ending a series of audience talks about baptism, Francis talked about the meaning of the white garment and the lit candle the newly baptized are given during the baptismal rite.

"We must truly pray to the Spirit to change our hearts to better understand his will and to give us the strength to continue to work for justice and peace", the archbishop said.

While Santiago's Bishop Juan Ignacio Gonzalez said that resignations of at least 10 Chilean bishops are pending, the Chilean diocese has continued to deny any departures of its religious leaders.

POPE FRANCIS " It is the parents' job, together with the godparents, to care for and feed the flame of grace to their young ones, helping them persevere in the faith. Christian education, he said, is a right of each child so that they can gradually come to know the plan of God for them.

However, the Chilean media have reported that Cardinal Francisco Javier Errazuriz Ossa, retired archbishop of Santiago and a member of Pope Francis' worldwide Council of Cardinals, will not attend.

A year later, Francis described it as a "beautiful gesture of nobility, of humility and courage", and that it "cleared a path for later popes to do the same", the Catholic news service Crux reported.

Pope Francis Wednesday expressed concern over escalating violence in the Middle East after the Israeli army killed at least 60 Palestinians in Gaza while protesting opening the U.S. embassy in occupied Jerusalem.

"I express my great sorrow for the dead and wounded and with prayer and affection I am close to all who suffer", he said at Wednesday's general audience.

He called for dialogue, justice and peace, stressing that violence has never led to peace. "War calls for war, violence calls for violence".

Francis didn't single out either the Israelis or the Palestinians in his comments, instead urging all sides and the global community to 'renew their commitment so that dialogue, justice and peace prevail'.

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